'The Exorcist' To Be Unleashed In London's West End

Simon Thompson
, ContributorSimon is a producer (TV & Digital) and film & entertainment journalistOpinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own.

Warner Bros

'The Exorcist,' one of the most successful horror films of all time, is being unleashed in a new stage production in London’s West End.

The Exorcist has been turned into a stage show and will be unleashed in London’s world-famous West End.

The production, described as a “uniquely theatrical experience” will play a strictly limited run at the Phoenix Theatre from 20 October 2017 to 10 March 2018. Tickets will go on sale on Friday 11 August 2017, however, producers are already warning audiences the production will contain material which may shock and offend and do not recommend it for anyone under the age of 18.

Widely considered the scariest movie of all time, and winner of two Academy Awards, William Friedkin’s masterpiece adaptation of The Exorcist sparked unprecedented worldwide controversy when it was released in cinemas in 1973 - it took $193 million at the box office ($893.78 million adjusted for inflation) and is one of the most successful horror films of all time.

The Exorcist films have grossed over $661 million at the worldwide box office. While the first film in the series is widely regarded as one of the best films and the best horror film of all time, the following entries have received very mixed reviews. As well as spawning four other films, a TV show based on William Blatty’s 1971 novel, which inspired the iconic 1973 horror film of the same name debuted on the FOX network in 2016 and has recently been renewed for a second season.

In 2016, The Exorcist was brought to life for the first time as one of the terrifying mazes at the annual Halloween Horror Nights event at Universal Studios Hollywood.

The stage show in London, England, will be directed by Sean Mathias who has worked at the Royal National Theatre as well as the West End and on Broadway.

Mathias’ production of Waiting For Godot played two seasons at the Theatre Royal Haymarket and toured the UK and internationally. In 2013 Godot played Broadway along with his production of Pinter’s No Man’s Land, the latter transferring to Wyndham’s Theatre in October 2017 starring Ian McKellen and Patrick Stewart, and won Best Revival at the Evening Standard Theatre Awards 2016.

The Exorcist will play a strictly limited run at the Phoenix Theatre from 20 October 2017 to 10 March 2018.

Simon Thompson is a freelance producer (TV & Digital), film & entertainment journalist and broadcaster. From the UK, he now lives and works in LA. He's on Twitter and LinkedIn.